Conveyer mechanism



June 1l, 1940. H. w. sHoNNARb CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Sept. 16, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /Ya/a/a Mz-mmarzi ATTORNEYS Patented .Iene 11, 1940 UNITED STATI-1s` FRATENT OFFICE ooNvsYER MsonANrsM' Harold W. Shonnardpllilontclair, Application septemterie, rssaseriai Naasaals l s claims. (011.1934151) `This invention relates to improvements inconveyer mechanism. Y

Its object is to provide a plurality'of driven members interconnected byflexible linksof wire 5; rope lengths or chains arranged to provide an even rate of movement to the driven members;

Another object is to provide a simple and effective arrangement of the endlessjbelt-sprocket type conveyer in which the belt comprises a plul rality of exible members, and the sprockets and load supporting means are especially 'designed to cooperate with such a belt.

Another object is to ,provide an arrangement for adjusting the length of the flexible links to l5 the pitch ofthe sprockets.

'A still further object is to provide a conveyer The" structure which I am about to describe, as an illustrative embodiment of the inventionvisfa pig casting machine whichjhas` these and' other novel and useful characteristics whichwill be g5 pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, l i

Fig. l is a side elevation of the upperand lower ends of a pig casting machine which is made according to and embodies my invention;

3Q Fig. 2`is a side elevation on a larger s'cale'of the lower end of the machineillustrated infFig. l, Ashowing some of rits partsmore in-detail;

Fig, 2A`^is a plan View showing two laterally spaced sprockets mounted on a shaft; v

Fig. 3 isa view taken at right angles to FigmZ of a part of the driving latter figure;l Y- y Fig. 4 isa planV View of one of the-conveyer units shownin Figs. l and 2, together with its ha connected and associated parts;

-Fig.5 is a sectional side yelevation of the unit shown `in Fig. 4, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Figfl;V f e f Fig. 6 isla front elevation of the parts shown 45zinFig-4; f f .f Fig. l is aside elevatlon ofthe Iends of two Lof the `wire rope links; i l.

Fig. 8 is a `plan view partly in `section of :the parts shown in Fig. 7'; f 50: Fig. 9 is a View ofone of theropes and its te tings; l v

Fig. 10 is an end view ,of a modied `form-of one of the `rope fittings;` i

Fig. 10A is `a sectional side elevation of the fit,-

55- ting shown inFig. 10; and` l.

sprocket `shown in the Fig. 171 is'aY side elevation of a modied form of flexible link.

belt, one construction of which will be particularlydescribed. 30 designates wire rope lengths of substantially equal dimensions. lCollars 3l l are swaged or otherwise ailizred to the ends of theserope lengths. 32 are externally threaded bushingsV slipped onto the rope lengths before the collars V3l are applied. These, as shown, have hexagonalflanges 33. 3,4, 34 are shackles, each'having va recess 35 into which one of the collars 3l`. fits and an internally threaded bore 36 for/receiving one of vthe bushings 32. Spring washers 3'!y are yinserted in the recesses 35 under the collars 3l. The part` of each shackle on one sideofhth recess 35 and bore 3B is split, as shown at '38, arid arranged to be tightened againstbushing 32' when the latter is in itsfinally adjusted position by a' bolt 38A.

Each shackle .has an eye 39. The eyes of the outside shackles, as viewed in Fig. 8, are pivoted on a collar 40 which in turn is pivoted on a bushing 4I having a central bore 42 and a head 43;' Outside the collar wis a collar 44onwhich theeyes 39A, 39A of the inside shackles are pivoted'. The sprocketfteeth 24 engage the part of collar 44 which lis `between the shackle eyes 39A,

39A. The shackleeyes are `-offset from the axes of the recesses 3.5 and bores 36 so that when as` sembledlas vshown in Fig. 8 theaxes ofthe recesses 3 5 of the outsideshacklesfare inthe same planes asthe axesV of therecesses of theinside shackles,

The rope lengths are such as to make the distance between the collars 44 the same las the peripheraldistances between the teeth 24, on

the sprockets. .i

- In `the exible links. shown in Fig. 11 the shackles 34,34 are connected by a chain 30A.

,It is `obvious .that when an endless belt constructed as thus S described, is yassembled on two `spacedy sprockets, asshownV in Figi, an operative structure `is lformedy by which either sprocket. can `be driven by the other through the belt suiiicient width to clear the diameter of the rope.

Such adjusting collars may be placed on the rope lengths after the collars 3| are applied to them;

The driving mechanism thus described is adaptable to many uses. A structure to which it is particularly adaptab1e,-a pig casting machine, will now be described.

On each of the shafts 2|, 2|A a pair of spaced sprockets are provided with their teeth 24 in* A angular alinement. Two endless belts are likewise provided.

5U designates transverse rods which t the bores 42 of opposite bushings 4| and are keyed against rotation topprevent wear between the rods and the bushings. 5| are brackets, the front ends 52 of which are pivotally supported on the rods 50. From their ends to the parts which pass through the front ends of the brackets 5|, the rods are circular in cross section, but between opposite brackets 5| they are square in cross section, as shown at 53. 54 are short rigid links affixed to the squared parts of the rods 5|) and interconnected by cross rods 55 on which the rear ends 56 of the brackets 5| are supported. On the outer ends of the rods 50 are flanged Wheels 51 arranged to run on tracksy 58 on the upward movement of the conveyer and on tracks 59 on the downward movement of the conveyer,

' (see Figs. 1 and 2).

` 60 are conveyer buckets, in this case pig casting molds, four being shown affixed to each pair of side brackets 5|. `A way of aflxing these buckets to the side brackets 5| is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, in which 6| designates anges projecting from the ends of the buckets, fastened by bolts 62 to angle brackets 53. vThese in turn are secured by bolts B4 to uprights 65 on the side brackets 5| which rais-e the buckets abovethe level of the rope links. l

Each pair of side brackets with the buckets affixed to them as described forms a rigid unit and these units are hinged together so that they form a. train which is inflexible in one plane, but is free to articulate as it passes around the sprockets. I-IereinLis one of the advantages of the structure as it maintains the shafts 50 in parallelism with the axes of the sprockets.

. When the apparatus is used as a pig'casting machine, molten metal is poured into the buckets 6|) at a station indicated by the arrow A in Fig. l, where the tops of the buckets are level. The shaft 2|A is vhigher than the shaft 2| and `suiiciently spaced therefrom to give the metal time to solidify before the buckets reach the upper sprocket.

them through the arrangement of sleeves and bushings illustrated in Fig. 8, which isV especially designed to withstand the heat to which it is subjected and which is so arranged that its parts may be easily and quickly replaced when necessary. The buckets are spaced above the wire rope links to minimize the effect of radiation.

It is desirable to impart a` uniform movement to the buckets. This is accomplished by the structure described in the following manner: The tracksV 59 extend from points to the left of the shaft ZIA (Fig. 1) to points'to the right of the shaft 2| (Figs. l and 2). This causes the axes of the bushings 44 to move in a path tangential to the peripheries of the sprockets and insures the proper engagement of the bushings and `the sprocket teeth 24. As the bushings are moved around the sprocket wheels, the rope lengths 30 becomev seated in the grooves 22. The peripheral Adistance between two bushings in adjacent sprrocket teeth remains, therefore, subv stantially the same as the distance between adjacent bushings when they are guided in straight lines. As the iiexible links operate substantially on the pitch line of the sprocket wheels the train of molds will be propelled at a nearly constant radial and linear velocity.

The chordal distance between bushings in adjacent sprocket wheels is considerably shorter and it is to compensate for this difference between the peripheral and chordal distances between adjacent bushings in the sprocket teeth thatthe mechanism shown has been devis-ed, thereby providing a positive support for each unit at both of its ends. shortening the distance between adjacent bushings as the belt passes around the sprockets causes .the linksE 54 to rock about the axes of the rods 50. Because the links 54 are aixed to the squared portions 53 of these rods, the rocking movement of the two links on each rod will be equal so that the alinement of the units of the train will be maintained. The lateral rigidity of this hinged arrangement may be further: increased by making non-rotative connections between the upper ends of the links 54 and the rods 55. A

The lower ends of tracks 53 extend beyond the points at which the tangential movement of the bushings `44 begins. as they leave the lower sprocket wheel. As the flexible parts of the links straighten out the rigid links 54 rock back to their initial positions.

The driving mechanism herein shown and described is, of course, applicable to various kinds and types of conveyers. It is alsofobvious that when it is used as a part of an endless belt conveyer, the latter maybe arranged to carry different kinds of material. The specific conveyer shown is arranged to carry hot material, particularly molten metal, and the parts of the driving mechanism are especially designed to withstandthe heat of such transported material, consequently the apparatus is well adapted to carry other hot material, such as `hot coke, for example, by simply changing the shape of the material receptacles. In fact, many variations and modifications of construction may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention, and I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims.

l What I claim is:

1."Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of laterallyv spaced sprockets, railsintermediate the longitudinally spaced sprockets, transverse rods supported on the rails,

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a plurality of rigid carrying members supported on said rods, each of said carrying members comprising a pair of side brackets and a plurality of transverse molds aiiixed to said brackets, there beingr a direct pivotal connection between one end of each bracket and one of the transverse rods and rigid links between the other end of the side brackets and the next adjacent transverse rod, and a series of flexible links, each link comprising a pair of pivotal shackles and an interconnecting flexible element,l said rods passing through the shackles and interconnecting the flexible links, said sprockets having arcuate supports for the ilexible elements and one oi the laterally spaced sprockets being arranged to drive the rods.

` 2. In a Conveyer structure, an endless belt comprising a series of ilexible links, each link comprising a pair of pivotal shackles and an interconnecting exible element, means pivotally interconnecting the shackles of adjacent links, and means for adjusting the length of each link independently, said means comprising a collar securely aiiixed to one end of each of the ilexible elements, a threaded boss on one of each pair of shackles and a threaded adjusting member on each of the flexible elements to engage the threaded boss on the shackle, whereby the longitudinal distances between all shackles in the belt may be equalized.

3. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods, stiff transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods of each pair, transversely spaced rigid side members with their opposite .ends pivoted to differently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, and ilexible links interconnecting like positioned rods of adjacent pairs to form an endless belt.

y4. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods, stiff transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods of each pair, transversely spaced rigid side members with their opposite ends pivoted to diierently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, one

rod of each pair extending beyond the side members, and flexible links connected to the extended ends of said rods to form an endless belt.

5. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced sprockets, longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods, stiff transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods of each pair, transversely spaced rigid side members with their opposite ends pivoted to differently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, ilexible links interconnecting like positioned rods of adjacent pairs, to form an endless belt, and sprocket wheels adapted to support the flexible links, one of the sprocket wheels having teeth arranged to drive said belt.

6. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spacedsprockets, longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods,

istii transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods of each pair, transversely spaced oted to diiferently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, ilexible links interconnecting like positioned rods of adjacent pairs, each link comprising a pair of pivotal shackles and an interconnecting ilexible element, said links forming an endless belt, said sprocketshaving arcuate supports for the flexible elements, one of the sprockets having teeth arranged to drive the belt, and wheels on like positioned rods of each pair arranged to support said rods.

7. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs oi laterally spaced sprockets, longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods, stiff transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods ci" each pair, transversely spaced rigid side members with their opposite ends pivoted to differently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, flexible links interconnecting like positioned rods of each pair, each link comprising a pair of pivotal shackles and an interconnecting flexible element, said like positioned rods passing through the shackles and interconnecting the links to form an endless belt, said sprockets having arcuate supports for the flexible elements, one of the sprockets having teeth arranged to drive said belt, wheels on like positioned rods of each pair, rails arranged to support the said wheels, and means for adjusting the length of each link independently, said means comprising a collar securely affixed to one .end of each of the ilexible elements, a threaded boss on one of each pair of shackles and a threaded adjusting member on each of the fiexible elements to engage the threaded yboss on the shackle, whereby the longitudinally distances between all shackles in the belt may be equalized.

8. Conveyer mechanism comprising longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced sprockets, longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse rods, stiff transversely spaced links rigidly interconnecting the rods of each pair, transversely spaced rigid side members with their opposite ends pivoted to differently positioned rods of adjacent pairs, one rod of each pair extending beyond the side members, flexible links near the extended ends of said rods, each link comprising a pair of pivotal shackles and an interconnecting flexible element, said extended rods passing through the shackles and interconnecting the links to form an endless belt, said sprockets having arcuate supports for the ilexible elements, one of the sprockets having teeth arranged to drive said belt, wheels on the extended ends of said rods, rails arranged to support the said wheels, and means for adjusting the length of' each link independently, said means comprising a collar securely affixed to one end of each of the flexible elements, a threaded boss on one of each pair of shackles and a threaded adjusting member on each of the flexible elements to engage the threaded boss on the shackle, whereby the longitudinal distances between all shackles in the belt may be equalized.

HAROLD W. SHONN ARD. 

